ERIE— Senior forward Denell Stephens recorded his ninth double-double of the season Wednesday night as the Slippery Rock University men's basketball team defeated nationally ranked Mercyhurst, 68-53, in their PSAC West opener.

The host Lakers (12-2) were ranked 21st in last week's National Association of Basketball Coaches Division IIpoll.

Stephens had game-high totals of 20 points and 18 rebounds while point guard Kyle Camper had 10 points, 12 assists and six boards.

Four SRU players reached double figures, as Maurice Douglas and Michael Evans Jr. contributed 18 and 16 points, respectively.

The win improved The Rock to 10-4, marking the most wins by a SRUmen's basketball team since the 1999-2000 squad won 17 games and reached the

SRU and the Lakers traded baskets and leads during the first seven minutes of the second half before The Rock took the lead for good at 39-38 with 12:45 remaining.A 12-2 run in the next four minutes put the game away.First-year SRUcoach Kevin Reynolds has recorded the most wins by a rookie head basketball coach at The Rock since Cliff Wettig won 15 in 1973-74.Camper has 161 assists on the campaign, most by a Rock player in a single season since Brent Schremp dished out a school-record 259 in the 1994-95 season.<B>Mercyhurst 80, SRU (women) 66 — </B>Four Mercyhurst players reached double figures — led by Stephanie Prischak with 21 points — as SRUslipped to 5-9, 0-1.Butler graduate Amy Achesinski, a sophomore with the Lakers (7-7, 1-0), had 14 points and three rebounds.Nikki Presto paced The Rock with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. Amanda Nero added 14 points.Grove City High graduate Julie Molloy was limited to four points.The Rock teams return to Morrow Field House for a doubleheader Saturday against Edinboro. The women's game is at 1 p.m., the men's game at 3.<B>BC3 53, CCAC-Boyce 37 — </B>Slippery Rock graduate Lea Roth and Kristen and Pam Gagen, both from Knoch, recorded 12 points each for the Pioneers.The Pioneers (2-8, 1-1) play at CCAC-Allegheny Saturday.